Project Profiles

Northern Reliability Case Studies.

Our engineering, field service, and product teams are focused on the deployment of power solutions designed to meet the unique challenges and specifications of your project. We have worked with everyone from government entities to utility project managers to private island residents, and understand that our partnership with you is the key to your project success. Explore our case studies below and learn how we can help.

LITHIUM-ION ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM:King Street Center

The King Street Center was experiencing high, monthly demand charges. The center approached Northern Reliability to engineer a cost effective solution to reduce electricity costs. After Analyzing their electric load profile, NRI's team determined that a 30kW/76.9kWh solution would be the optimum size to reduce daily peak demand. The result was then paired with an environmentally controlled cabinet that tied in with the building management system. NRI performed all aspects of the project including design, fabrication, installation and commissioning. The system also has space for an extra battery bank as the facility grows.

This NRI Energy Storage System reduces overall daily peak demand by supplementing the load with energy stored within the battery. Although there is no localized generation available, NRI's intelligent SC-100 controller adjusts to fluctuating grid costs and charges the battery when prices are at their lowest. in addition, this "added" consumption used for recharge is offset by the methods mentioned above while peak shaving and/or demand flattening reduce overall tariffs for the facility.

MICROGRID SYSTEM:Naushon Island

When you live, vacation or conduct business on an island that is completely reliant on 2 diesel generators that run 24/7 you quickly become familiar with the drawbacks. Residents of Naushon Island (off the southern coast of Cape Cod) were feeling the impacts of expensive fuel prices, failing generators, fuel transportation issues, and dirty energy which added up to an unsustainable model that clashed with the pristine surroundings of their beautiful beach community.

As a result NRI was approached… our team then developed a well rounded microgrid consisting of 30 independent solar arrays, back-up generators, and battery energy storage in an environmentally controlled shelter to delivered cost-savings, energy independence, and reliability to the residents of Naushon Island. Other features of NRI’s solution include multiple layers of protection (no system shutdown should a component need maintenance and/or replacement,) direct integration into the island’s existing power grid, and a 4,800 Amp-hour, industrial battery system. The battery holds excess solar power for when energy is needed while our system controller monitors all system functions/equipment such as the generators, batteries, fuel tank, environmentals, system faults and alarms. Paired SCADA also allows for insight into microgrid’s operation.

SOLAR OBSTRUCTION LIGHTING SOLUTION:PSEG

Utilities are in the business of providing reliable and cost-effective power to their customers. Northern Reliability is in the business of supporting utilities in their smart-grid infrastructure upgrades including PSE&G’s new 500,000-volt transmission line being built to maintain and enhance the reliability of the electric grid for millions of people in the Northeast. In need of proven FAA compliant obstruction lighting solutions for its new transmission powers, PSE&G chose Northern Reliability for its experience in industrial grade power solutions for off-grid applications, and its turn-key suite of solutions from engineering to installation to O&M.

Northern Reliability provided PSE&G 35 Solar-powered obstruction lighting systems, each integrating a 1530-watt solar array with a deep-cycle battery bank which stores the harvested energy to power the safety beacons during periods of low solar availability. Our team custom designed tower mounting solutions for each of the three different styles of utility towers used on the PSE&G project. The system’s battery bank and controls are housed in a custom-designed SOLS environmental enclosure, located at the base of each tower. As self-contained, stand alone power sources, Northern Reliability’s SOLS systems provide cost savings to PSE&G by eliminating the need to install a second, low-voltage distribution line to power the FAA required safety beacons along the transmission line route. Obstruction safety lighting also eliminates the need to continually paint the towers for increased visibility, reducing PSE&G’s ongoing maintenance costs.

OFF GRID POWER SYSTEM:DeTect

DeTect, Inc. (tasked with implementing an avian detection and deterrence system by a large oil & gas producer) turned to Northern Reliability to provide a robust, reliable, off-grid solution to provide continuous power to their equipment at a site with no existing utility connection. Northern Reliability arrived to a solar/diesel hybrid power solution that integrated 1.6kW of photovoltaic power with a diesel-fired 7kW generator.

The system was designed to endure long periods of time between servicing and/or refueling. To protect the equipment during Edmonton’s severe winter, NRI’s team developed a weather resistant enclosure to house the generator and ensure back-up power during the winter months.

OFF GRID COMMUNICATIONS:US Fish & Wildlife

Land protected by the National Wildlife Refuge is meant to be secluded and peaceful. However, when an enviroment requires a watchful eye to maintain its health, an outpost with little to no power can make this task quite difficult. In the case of the US Department of Fish and Wildlife, their outpost on Block island desperately needed an upgrade. Northern Reliability was hired to install a reliable energy storage system, act as a general contractor and brave the difficult task of bringing materials on to the island.